Conducted by Our mess president Noel McDonnell.
The Visitor Centre is dedicated to the memory of Francis Sheehy Skeffington, Thomas Dickson and Patrick McIntyre, newspaper editors and pacifists, who were arrested by the British Forces and executed without trial in the guardroom exercise yard on April 26th 1916.
The visitor centre can boast some fine military artefacts and displays that are unique to the barracks adn the role it played in Irish History. Pride of place has to go to the personal memorabilia that belonged to General Michael Collins. It was from Cathal Brugha Barracks that Michael Collins departed on his ill-fated tour of the south of the country, where he was killed at Béal Na mBláth, County Cork. On display is his desk the flag that draped his coffin, his Colt 45 pistol and three pistols from his hit team, The Squad and also his death mask. (a must see)
On May 17th 1922, following the War of Independence and after 112 years of British occupation, the Worchestershire Regiment marched out of the canal gate, while Commandant General Tom Ennis, Colonel Commandant Thornton and a unit of the Dublin Guards marched in the main gate from Beggars Bush Barracks with General Eoin O’Duffy taking the salute. A group of photographs from this historic handover are portrayed in a series of iconic pictures on display in the vistor’s centre.
Today, Cathal Brugha Barracks is the home of the 2 Brigade, the 7th Infantry Battalion and numerous brigade combat, combat support and combat service support units, including the Defence Forces School of Music and Military Archives. If interested please contact this page or our mess president Noel McDonnell. Reservations must be made in advance.
With many thanks to: The Michael Collins Club/Ptes Mess, Irish History disscussion and debate group.
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